Put it this way - with polygamy you get to test drive lots of models in 1 go so it's more exciting than serial monogamy (and much cheaper on the divorce fees as well), always have a courtesy ride whilst one's in for their MOT and saves time looking for spare parts too

Dunno about the reverse side of things Dotsie - one women & several men (deliberate FCP bit coming up Pooh... ) as the more hirsute gender tend to squabble when in groups more and can you imagine the sulking when it's not their 'turn'?

"Some men see things as they are and ask why. Others dream things that never were and ask why not.” George Bernard Shaw

And I'm not looking at it from a gender perspective necessarily - females just tend to get on better in groups by and large - one cockerel in a henhouse tends to do OK for instance

So the multiple spouses concept isn't gender-specific except by custom (one woman or man to many of the opposite sex) and I was looking at it from a 'viability' PoV where there is a legal contract in place (not necessarily marriage but 'official' as it were since many countries only recognise the trad hetero coupledom) and not 'adventures' outside of the contractual parties...?

Now I'm getting confused too - what would happen if all involved in the contract were allowed as many spouses as they wanted? Or were homosexual or bi-sexual? *screams in confusion*

I've merely cited the more common male singleton/female poly-way and not necessarily from the sexual aspect, to whit -

As for polygamy and harems - you always know who the old man's with and where; have back-up if you have a headache/have to wash your hair/need a bloody good gossip and at least a couple of nights off a week... plus you always have someone to go shopping for shoes with and/or talk to instead of having to listen to non-stop drivel about football (any sort) or how great the new car is?

Based on female physiology and social tendencies... I'm sure there are non-sexual advantages the other way around too - it's just from personal obvservations down fifty-odd years males tend to not to like to share so much...

EDIT - which, by a circuitous route, kind of brings us back onto topic again on the point that women are possibly less keen on war-mongering than men. Something I think we were actually getting a consensus on before the attractions or otherwise of polygamy intervened... Speaking only for myself and again from bitter experience, one husband is more than enough trouble and effort for me and frankly I'd far rather have a cup of tea - and a choccy hob-nob of course

I think this is where we hand it back to Sharlene as I am (amazingly) agreeing with you on that point poohb - I can't remember that point being made in the book either.

I have to go out now for the rest of the day (am soft-launching this new site) but before I do what I would say on that theory is that the book actually infers the very opposite as the Sarge, through recruiting so many disguised ladies for so long has created a cadre of mostly females in high military office. So what Borogravia actually has is female-led armed forces who are still waging war - badly!

"Some men see things as they are and ask why. Others dream things that never were and ask why not.” George Bernard Shaw

I've just read MR for the second time and I enjoyed it much more this time. Initially it didn't feel 'Discworldy' enough but once the recruits were all signed up with Igor, Maladict and Carborundum, it started to feel right. The short section with Sam Vimes just seemed like an addition to give the background to the war and it was not obvious what kind of part the Ankh Morpork contingent would play . I really liked the idea that spitting, farting and a judicially placed pair of socks could change a girl to a man . I loved Polly, definitely my kind of girl. Should I be worried by that? Well, she was the heiress to a pub!

Just a quick point before I go out. I think the difference here is that the woman in command of the army etc. are different in that they have been pretending to be men for so long that they have almost become parodies of men - more masculine than men in an effort to disguise themselves.

It obviously has something to do with the wearing of socks.

Even though Polly goes back into the army; she goes back under her terms - as a woman - NOT a woman pretending to be a man.

“Men never commit evil so fully and joyfully as when they do it for religious convictions.” – Blaise Pascal